In our quest to improve dementia detection, we’ve been tracking a dizzying array of cognitive health developments. We know healthcare leaders are short on time, so here are 7 key highlights from this transformative year:
| 1. GUIDE Model | 5. Dementia Prevalence & Detection |
| 2. V28 | 6. Burnout in Family Medicine |
| 3. Alzheimer’s Treatments | 7. Dementia Prevention |
| 4. Biomarker Blood Tests |
According to the 2024 Alzheimer’s Association Facts & Figures report, 60% of healthcare professionals surveyed said that the US healthcare system isn’t doing enough to help patients and families navigate dementia care.
Fragmented care by reluctant providers and overburdened caregivers can tank outcomes and spike costs (increasing hospitalization, emergency department visits, and post-acute care utilization). And underserved populations are particularly hard hit.
Medicare’s updated coding model, V28, reflects a growing emphasis on neurocognitive diseases. Previously, dementia fell under two categories: “complicated” (HCC 52) and “uncomplicated” (HCC 51). The new model introduces three categories based on severity, each with a RAF value of 0.341:
Severe Dementia (HCC 125)
Moderate Dementia (HCC 126)
Mild or Unspecified Dementia (HCC 127)
This adjustment supports earlier and more precise diagnosis, and the program is in the midst of a 3-year rollout.
While lecanemab and donanemab, the first amyloid-targeting drugs for Alzheimer’s, garnered a lot of attention in 2024, a new wave of therapies is coming soon. According to the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Fund’s 2024 Annual Report, here's what the drugs in current clinical trials are targeting:
26%: Inflammation
15%: Mitochondria and metabolic function
15%: Neuroprotection
15%: Synaptic activity and neurotransmitters
11%: Other
9%: Genetics and epigenetics
9%: Misfolded proteins
A common thread with all new disease-modifying therapeutics is the need to identify disease early, making a screening strategy even more essential.
While new biomarker blood tests might end up replacing invasive lumbar punctures and costly PET scans for differential diagnosis, they're not standalone diagnostic tools yet. In November, the International Working Group for Alzheimer's issued a recommendation via JAMA Neurology that states: "Most biomarker-positive cognitively normal individuals should not be labeled as having AD."
Since the majority of patients with blood biomarkers never go on to develop symptoms of the disease, the IWG feels it's not helpful to label them as having Alzheimer's based on the blood test alone.
Providers will still need first-line solutions (like our digital cognitive tests) to identify patients with early or overlooked impairment.
Did you know a recent study produced a map that shows predicted Alzheimer's prevalence by county, while other research revealed dementia diagnostic intensity by region?
By comparing these rates to the percentage of patients your organization identifies with MCI and dementia, healthcare providers can gauge the potential impact of new detection tools and strategies.
A study of more than 10K family physicians found that burnout rates drop when doctors feel their primary care teams work efficiently.
Other factors that help fight burnout?
Our cognitive screening solutions are built for primary care and address these needs. Our tools save time, enable staff to work at the top of their licenses, and integrate seamlessly with EHR systems.
The Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, intervention, and care published a report in July 2024 that found 45% of cases of dementia could be prevented by modifying 14 risk factors throughout one's lifetime. They are: